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The Spirit Of Lawsby Charles De Secondat Montesquieu, Trans. By Thomas Nugent And J. V. Prichard Download Book (Respecting the intellectual property of others is utmost important to us, we make every effort to make sure we only link to legitimate sites, such as those sites owned by authors and publishers. If you have any questions about these links, please contact us.) link 1 link 2 link 3 About Book Book Description In this wide-ranging treatise on the nature of law, the famous French political philosopher Charles-Louis de Secondat, Baron de Montesquieu (1689-1755) explores the essentials of good government; compares and contrasts despotism, monarchy, and democracy; and discusses the factors that lead to the corruption of governments. Among the many topics considered are education of the citizenry, crime and punishment, abuse of power and of liberty, individual rights, taxation, slavery, the role of women, commerce, religion, and a host of additional subjects. One of the most influential books of all time, this masterpiece of political philosophy was widely read throughout Europe, attracted an especially enthusiastic readership in England, and had a profound effect on the framers of the American Constitution, who emulated Montesquieu by insisting upon a balance of power among branches of government--executive, legislative, and judiciary--the now famous "separation of powers."
Upon his father's death in 1713, he assumed the title of baron de La Brede, and was appointed counselor of the Bordeaux parliament (1714). In 1716 he inherited his uncle's title of baron de Montesquieu, and also his office, serving as the deputy president of the parliament from 1716 to 1726. Montesquieu's first major work, LETTRES PERSANES (Persian Letters), was published in 1721 and became a huge success. Supposedly written by two Persian travelers in Europe, Montesquieu satirized French institutions. In 1725 he published LE TEMPLE DE GNIDE (The Temple of Gnide). Because of the success of PERSIAN LETTERS, in 1728 Montesquieu was elected to the French Academy, the French literary academy established by Cardinal de Richelieu in 1634 to maintain standards of literary taste and to establish the literary language. That same year, seeking to complete his education by foreign travel, he set out on a grand tour of Europe, particularly England, where he remained from 1729 to 1731. In 1734 Montesquieu published CONSIDERATIONS SUR LES CAUSES DE LA GRANDEUR ET DE LA DECADENCE DES ROMAINS (Thoughts on the Causes of the Greatness and the Downfall of the Romans), one of the first important works in the philosophy of history. Montesquieu's greatest work, DE L'ESPRIT DES LOIS (The Spirit of Laws), was published in 1748. It is a comparative study of three types of government: republic, monarchy, and despotism. Montesquieu held that governmental powers should be separated and balanced to guarantee individual rights and freedom. Attacked by the French clergy and his enemies at the Sorbonne, Montesquieu responded with DEFENSE DE "L'ESPRIT DES LOIS" (Defense of "The Spirit of Laws") in 1750. His last work, ESSAI SUR LE GOUT (Essay on Taste) was not completed. Montesquieu died in Paris on February 10, 1755. Related Free eBooks
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